Lanyard adjuster

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a lanyard adjuster that adjusts the length of a lanyard that passes through the lanyard adjuster. The lanyard adjuster includes a housing and a plate residing within the housing. The plate includes flanges that couple with locking slots of the housing to achieve a locked configuration. In the locked configuration, the plate contacts and applies a force on segments of the lanyard that passes through the lanyard adjuster. Therefore, the lengths of the lanyard on either side of the lanyard adjuster are fixed. The plate can be further decoupled from the housing to enable adjustment of the lengths of the lanyard on either side of the lanyard adjuster.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lanyard adjuster comprising:
 a housing having a top interior surface, a bottom interior surface, a first side interior surface located between the top interior surface and the bottom interior surface, and a second side interior surface located between the top interior surface and the bottom interior surface, the top, bottom, first side, and second side interior surfaces defining a through-hole, a first slot formed on the first side interior surface and a second slot formed on the second interior surface; and 
 a plate configured to be at least partially received in the through-hole of the housing, the plate comprising:
 flanges each configured to be received in a corresponding one of the slots to couple the plate with the housing; 
 a top surface facing a top interior surface of the housing; and 
 a bottom surface at an opposite side of the top surface and facing a bottom interior surface of the housing, at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface configured to press against a segment of a lanyard to fix a position of the lanyard relative to the plate. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The lanyard adjuster of  claim 1 , wherein the plate has a thickness thinner than a height of the through-hole of the housing. 
     
     
       3. The lanyard adjuster of  claim 1 , wherein the plate and the housing are shaped symmetrically. 
     
     
       4. The lanyard adjuster of  claim 3 , wherein the first side interior surface and the second side interior surface are opposite interior surfaces. 
     
     
       5. The lanyard adjuster of  claim 1 , wherein the plate is made of metal and the housing is made of plastic. 
     
     
       6. The lanyard adjuster of  claim 1 , wherein a distance from the first slot to the top interior surface and a distance from the first slot to the bottom interior surface are equal. 
     
     
       7. The lanyard adjuster of  claim 1 , wherein the plate further comprises a first end with a curved edge and a second end with a straight edge. 
     
     
       8. The lanyard adjuster of  claim 1 , wherein each of the top surface of the plate and the bottom surface of the plate are smooth. 
     
     
       9. A lanyard assembly comprising:
 a lanyard having a first segment and a second segment; and 
 a lanyard adjuster comprising:
 a housing having a top interior surface, a bottom interior surface, a first side interior surface located between the top interior surface and the bottom interior surface, and a second side interior surface located between the top interior surface and the bottom interior surface, the top, bottom, first side, and second side interior surfaces defining a through-hole, a first slot formed on the first side interior surface and a second slot formed on the second interior surface; and 
 a plate configured to be at least partially received in the through-hole of the housing, the plate comprising:
 flanges each configured to be received in a corresponding one of the slots to couple the plate with the housing 
 a top surface facing a top interior surface of the housing; and 
 a bottom surface at an opposite side of the top surface and facing a bottom interior surface of the housing, one or both of the first and second segments of the lanyard placed between at least one of the top surface and the top interior surface of the housing or the bottom surface and the bottom interior surface of the housing, the at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface pressing the one or both segments of the lanyard against the top interior surface or bottom interior surface of the housing to fix a position of the lanyard relative to the plate. 
 
 
 
     
     
       10. The lanyard assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the plate has a thickness thinner than a height of the through-hole of the housing. 
     
     
       11. The lanyard assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the plate and the housing are shaped symmetrically. 
     
     
       12. The lanyard assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first side interior surface and the second side interior surface are opposite interior surfaces. 
     
     
       13. The lanyard assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the plate is made of metal and the housing is made of plastic. 
     
     
       14. The lanyard assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a distance from the first slot to the top interior surface and a distance from the first slot to the bottom interior surface are equal. 
     
     
       15. The lanyard assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the plate further comprises a first end with a curved edge and a second end with a straight edge. 
     
     
       16. The lanyard assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each of the top surface of the plate and the bottom surface of the plate are smooth.